1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to equipment for use in making natural comb honey, and particularly to equipment adapted to be placed within a beehive in which the bees form honeycombs and deposit their honey. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved frame construction, a plurality of which are used in combination with insert rings to form cylindrical molds or containers in which honeycombs are formed, and in which the improved frames prevent the insert rings from being placed incorrectly within the frames.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are various devices, equipment and methods of collecting the natural honey produced by bees from a beehive. One type of equipment consists of a plurality of rectangular box-like frames known as "supers" which are stacked vertically upon a beehive. Each super contains a plurality of frames, preferably formed of molded plastic, which are mounted in abutting relationship with respect to each other within each super. Each frame is provided with a plurality of cylindrical openings which form a plurality of horizontally extending cylindrically shaped chambers when a plurality of these frames are stacked in the super. A strip of beeswax (referred to as a "foundation") is placed between alternate pairs of these frames, from which the bees build honeycombs of beeswax which are filled with honey outwardly from both sides of the foundations.
A cylindrical-shaped ring is telescopically mounted within each of the frame openings, a pair of which serves as the sidewalls for each of the "rounds" of comb honey produced by the bees. Thus, each "round" which is produced within the frames consists of a central film of beeswax (foundation) with a half comb section attached to and extending outwardly from each side of this foundation.
After a variable amount of time, the frames are removed from the supers and separated, leaving a plurality of round comb sections twice the thickness of each insert ring. The rings remain attached to the honeycomb and become the container therefor for subsequent storage and shipment. In many situations, a pair of clear plastic end caps is placed on the ends of the "round" in telescopic engagement with the ends of the ring pairs. A sealing band then is placed circumferentially about these end caps and rings to form a complete package for the honeycomb.
These prior art frame sections have a plurality of cylindrical or annular-shaped walls which form the cylindrical openings in which the insert rings are seated for subsequent formation of the honeycomb round. Each of these cylindrical walls have top and bottom arcuate zones of shorter wall height (measured in an axial direction) than the intervening longer arcuate side zones. Top and bottom, when used throughout the following description, refers to the position that the frame assumes when placed within the super, in which position the cylindrical openings formed by the frames extend in a horizontal direction. These wall zones of reduced axial height or length form top and bottom slots or openings when the frame sections are joined in their respective pairs through which the bees gain access into and out of the cylindrical chambers formed by the frame pairs for making the honey-filled comb on the intervening foundations or beeswax strips.
The insert rings which are telescopically mounted within the cylindrical openings of each frame also are provided with diametrically opposed arcuate sections of reduced wall lengths with corresponding intervening arcuate sections of greater wall lengths. Inwardly projecting studs are formed on the ends of each of the longer wall sections of the frames adjacent the reduced wall sections of the frame for supporting the insert rings thereon.
Problems have occurred in these prior frame and ring constructions, in that unless precaution is taken by the beekeeper, the rings can be installed incorrectly within the frame openings with the longer wall sections of the ring being located between the projections coinciding with the shorter wall sections of the frames. This results in two main disadvantages. The first is that the longer wall sections of the rings will project beyond the frames, partially closing the bee access openings making it more difficult for the bees to enter and exit the slotted opening and the inner cylindrical chambers. More importantly, when the ring is mounted incorrectly within the frames, the shorter length arcuate wall sections of the ring will coincide with the longer length wall sections of the frame. With this mounting arrangement, an arcuate section or strip of frame is exposed beneath the bottom of the ring. The bees, upon making the honeycomb, will attach the comb to both the ring, as intended, and also to the exposed arcuate strip of the frame. Upon removal of the rings and contained honeycombs from the frames, the comb sections will be torn away from the frame causing a rupture of the cells which are attached to the exposed frame strip which was caused by the incorrect mounting of the rings within the frames. This rupture of some of the honeycomb cells permits the honey contained within the cells to leak, resulting in a lower grade honeycomb than if the cells were intact.
Another problem that occurs with existing frame constructions and the insert rings used therein is the forming of both the rings and frame of the same color plastic material. This makes it extremely difficult for the beekeeper to quickly and visually check whether a ring has been installed in each and every one of the frame openings. A rapid and easy means of determining that a ring is installed in each opening is especially desirable in view of the condition of the frames and rings which many times are covered with honey and beeswax residue, and since this inspection may be performed at the beehive site amidst a swarm of bees.
Thus, the need has existed for a frame construction which insures that the insert rings can only be inserted or seated within the cylindrical frame openings in the correct manner, wherein the shorter length ring wall sections will correspond with the shorter length frame wall sections, and correspondingly, the longer ring wall sections will coincide with the longer frame wall sections to maintain the proper sized bee access openings, and more importantly to prevent exposed sections of frame wall to which the honeycomb can be attached by the bees. It is also important that such a modification does not appreciably affect the existing frames, insert rings and super constructions, configurations and sizes, thereby preventing interchangeability between these components presently on the market and commonly used in the trade.
There is no such frame construction of which I am aware which has eliminated this ring mounting problem by increasing the arcuate lengths of the insert ring-supporting projections on the frames, whereby the rings can only be inserted in one position, which is the correct position.